October 12: The truth about the Biya-Tchiroma affair ⁰

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Anicet Ekane, Djeukam Tchameni and other allies did not agree to an early offer of appointments into the government of Paul Biya barely a week after the 12 October presidential election in Cameroon, even before the National Vote-Counting Commission had done its work.

Tchiroma declared he won the election but the Constitutional Council proclaimed the results a fortnight later in favour of Paul Biya.

“If this was not an acknowledgement of defeat and panic to pamper Tchiroma, what was it?” says a political commentator about Biya’s early offer, considered premature, considering the timing.

“Tell me who, sure to win an election, would undertake maneuvers to lure someone they were sure they have defeated. It’s all clear. Biya knew Tchiroma had won.”

In what appeared to be panic over early returns from the polls and perhaps state intelligence reports, suggesting Tchiroma was winning the election by a comfortable margin, henchmen of the Biya regime swung into action and approached Tchiroma and his allies. They offered him and them appointments into the government and certain government companies (otherwise called parastatals), according to authoritative sources, close to Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

A special envoy of the Presidency of the Republic, Philippe Mbarga Mboa went on a top secret mission to Douala on 19 October to discuss a deal with Tchiroma’s main allies Anicet Ekani and Djeukam Tchameni.

“That move was possibly both to use their influence to bring Tchiroma along, or failing which, they should abandon him and selfishly accept the appointments,” continued the commentator who sued for anonymity.

Mbarga Mboa who is Minister for Special Duties at the Presidency proposed to them appointments into the government as Prime Minister, ministers of state, ministers, minister delegate, secretaries of state, directors general and board chairs in government companies. Ekani and Tchameni did not accept the offer. Both men were later arrested. Ekani died in detention.

Tchiroma has said in several speeches and statements that he will not negotiate and will not betray the struggle to claim what he confidently calls his “victory in the 12 October polls”.

Contacted for comment via a WhatsApp call on 16 December, Mbarga Mboa asked me, “Why are you bringing this up now? To serve what purpose? When did this happen?”

When I gave him the date, he said, “That has been long. Is it necessary now?”

As a close collaborator of the Secretary General at the Presidency, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Mbarga Mboa was seen playing a key role in the pre-election consultations with political forces from different regions of the country. Ngoh Ngoh, described as the de facto Vice President or even the “acting” President of the Republic as the aged Biya is often considered out of form, is understood to be the main push behind the actions of aides at the Cameroon Presidency to desperately retain power, despite what observers describe as clear signs Biya lost the election to Tchiroma.

Mbarga Mboa’s visit to Douala was ostensibly to meet and strategize with local CPDM barons and allies there, especially the northern kingpin in Douala, Bayero Fadil.

Faced with the failure of Mbarga Mboa’s mission, higher level steps were taken to reach out to Tchiroma. There have been reports of negotiations at different levels, some reportedly involving the government of France and other foreign partners to coarse Tchiroma to give up his claim to victory in the 12 October presidential election. But Tchiroma has repeatedly said he will not negotiate.

Feeling unsafe at his residence in Garoua where several high risk incidents had been reported, Tchiroma relocated to Nigeria and later to the Gambia.

He or his appointed spokesperson Barrister Alice Nkom have continued to claim his victory was stolen by Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the institution charged with organizing elections in Cameroon and the Constitutional Council, the highest judicial organ in the country, charged with deliberating over election litigations and proclaiming election results. They insist Tchiroma’s stolen victory must be restored.

*The author, Franklin Sone Bayen, is a freelance investigative journalist trained in Israel and an Alfred Friendly (US) Press Partners Fellow. He can be reached at +237 656969090 (Direct calls and WhatsApp) and sonebayen@gmail.com